Gravity feed display rack

Abstract

A gravity feed product display rack. In one embodiment the display rack has a support frame and at least one shelf. The at least one shelf has a floor, a front side, and at least one edge side, all integrally made. The shelf further has a hinge coupled to at least one edge side of the shelf via an affixing device. The hinge has a first stable position corresponding to a loading position and a second stable position corresponding to a displaying position. The shelf can be adjusted between the loading and displaying positions by adjusting the shelf relative to the affixing member.

I claim: 
     
       1. A product display rack comprising:
 a support frame; 
 at least one shelf, wherein said shelf comprises a floor side, a front side, at least one edge side, and a hinge associated with said at least one edge side, wherein said floor side, said front side, said at least one edge side, and said hinge are integrally made, and said front side and said at least one edge side extends above the floor side, the at least one shelf having a center of gravity and the hinge affixed to the at least one shelf to the rear of the center of gravity, the hinge having a first nook on a first side of the hinge, a second nook laterally opposite the first nook on an opposite side to the first side, and a third nook on the opposite side of the hinge; 
 an affixing device coupling said hinge to said support frame; 
 wherein said hinge comprises at least two stable positions, a first stable position corresponding to a loading position wherein the affixing device engages a first nook and the laterally opposite second nook, and a second stable position corresponding to a displaying position wherein the affixing device engages the first nook and the opposite third nook, the shelf transformed from the display position to the loading position by first rotating the front side upward to disengage the third nook and to orient the shelf horizontally, then moving the shelf laterally backward toward the support frame to and engage the affixing device with the second nook, and wherein said hinge extends downward below said floor side; 
 wherein said display rack further comprises a splitter, the splitter including laterally extending splitter rails coupled to each other in spaced apart relation with longitudinally extending rail couplers, and wherein said floor side of said at least one shelf comprises a gap, wherein said splitter rails are located above said gap. 
 
     
     
       2. The product display rack of  claim 1  wherein said loading position facilitates loading of said shelf with product, and wherein said displaying position facilitates displaying and gravity feed dispensing of product on said shelf. 
     
     
       3. The product display rack of  claim 1  wherein said at least one shelf further comprises a rear side, wherein said rear side is integrally made with said floor side. 
     
     
       4. The product display rack of  claim 1  wherein said at least one shelf comprises plastic. 
     
     
       5. The product display rack of  claim 1  wherein said at least one shelf is blow molded. 
     
     
       6. The product display rack of  claim 1  wherein said splitter separates the at least one shelf into two lanes. 
     
     
       7. The product display rack of  claim 1  wherein said splitter is removably coupled to said shelf. 
     
     
       8. The product display rack of  claim 7  wherein said splitter is removably coupled via splitter mounting tabs. 
     
     
       9. The product display rack of  claim 1  wherein said splitter separates said shelf into 3 lanes. 
     
     
       10. The product display rack of  claim 1  wherein said splitter separates said shelf into 4 lanes. 
     
     
       11. The product display rack of  claim 1  further comprising a balcony coupled to a front side of said at least one shelf. 
     
     
       12. The product display rack of  claim 1  further comprising a display. 
     
     
       13. The product display rack of  claim 1  wherein said at least one shelf comprises at least two shelves in series, wherein said shelves are coupled via said at least one edge side. 
     
     
       14. The product display rack of  claim 13  wherein at least one of said at least two shelves comprises a mounting tab. 
     
     
       15. The product display rack of  claim 13  wherein said at least two shelves in series are coupled to a weight support. 
     
     
       16. The product display rack of  claim 15  wherein said weight support comprises a wire. 
     
     
       17. The product display rack of  claim 1  wherein said at least one shelf comprises at least one side which comprises a structural pattern. 
     
     
       18. The product display rack of  claim 1  wherein said at least one shelf comprises at least two shelves, and wherein each of said at least two shelves is stackable. 
     
     
       19. The product display rack of  claim 1  wherein said at least one shelf comprises at least two shelves, and wherein each of said at least two shelves is substantially identical. 
     
     
       20. The product display rack of  claim 1  wherein said at least one shelf comprises a single molded piece. 
     
     
       21. The product display rack of  claim 1  wherein said affixing device is a detachable device. 
     
     
       22. The product display rack of  claim 1  wherein said affixing device is selected from the group consisting of at least one wire or at least one rod. 
     
     
       23. The product display rack of  claim 1  wherein said gap comprises an area wherein said floor side is missing. 
     
     
       24. The product display rack of  claim 1  wherein said gap comprises a void.